The present invention relates to armrests for seats, and it finds particular, though not exclusive, application in rear seats for motorcycles.
The typical rear-seat rider on a motorcycle holds on to the driver to keep securely in position on the bike. This is a satisfactory position for short rides, but it is somewhat uncomfortable for touring. With the advent of contoured rear seats having seat backs, this position has become unnecessary because the occupant of such a seat feels relatively secure even when he is not holding on to the driver. He can thus assume a relaxed position, leaning against the seat back.
In the relaxed position, additional comfort would be added if armrests were provided. The idea of providing armrests for the rear seat of a motorcycle is not new. Such an idea had surfaced as early as 1928, as is exemplified by Regard, U.S. Pat. No. 1,662,718. Nonetheless, armrests for motorcycle seats have not heretofore gained much acceptance, possibly because of the particular characteristics of the motorcycle environment. One normally can only mount the rear seat of a motorcycle from the side when a seat back is provided, so the provision of armrests interferes with access to the rear seat. Furthermore, it is often desirable in emergencies to alight from the bike with some haste, and the presence of armrests could complicate dismounting. Given these considerations, it is not surprising that motorcycle armrests have not gained any more acceptance than they have.
According to the present invention, the armrests are pivotably mounted so that they may be swung out of the way to permit the passenger to get on and off easily. Movable armrests have been known in other contexts, but none are really satisfactory for motorcycle application. Swenson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,606, discloses an armrest that is locked in position but that can be rotated out of the way by lifting the armrest out of the locking position and then rotating it sideways. In the motorcycle context, it is questionable that the rider would consistently react to the exigencies of the situation by calmly lifting the armrest and then rotating it outwardly. Accordingly, though Swenson describes an arrangement for pivoting the armrest out of the way, it is not thought that such an arrangement would gain acceptance as a motorcycle armrest.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,452 to Harder describe an armrest whose features are closer to those desired in a motorcycle environment. In Harder the armrest is unlocked by applying a force in the direction in which the occupant wants to leave the seat, an action that, compared with the action required by the Swenson arrangement, is more likely to be taken without reflection by a person attempting to dismount the bike with haste. Moreover, the force required to unlock the armrest in Harder could easily be made low enough to allow rapid dismounting from the bike. As a practical matter, though, the force required for unlocking in the Harder arrangement would have to have a relatively high value so that the armrest would not be unlocked accidentally by a momentary jolt, and the resistance afforded to dismounting would be correspondingly high. Accordingly, the Harder arrangement cannot easily be adapted to the motorcycle environment or others subject to similar constraints.